Communication system for communication between wearable controller and remote target

Abstract

Provided is a communication system including a controller installed on a hand of a user, an operation target remotely operated by the controller, and a relay apparatus that performs relaying between the controller and the operation target, in which the controller includes a first detection section that detects a motion of fingers of the user, a stimulus providing section that provides an external stimulus to the fingers of the user, and a control section that controls the stimulus providing section, the operation target includes a driving section that performs an action in reference to action information received, and a second detection section that detects the external stimulus to the operation target, and the relay apparatus transmits, to the operation target, the action information based on a detection result from the first detection section, and in reference to a detection result from the second detection section, transmits, to the controller, stimulus provision information for controlling the stimulus providing section to provide an external stimulus to the user.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system comprising:
 a wearable glove;   at least one operation target remotely operated by the wearable glove; and   a relay apparatus that performs relaying between the wearable glove and the at least one operation target,   wherein the wearable glove comprises:
 a first detection section that detects a motion of fingers of the user, 
 a stimulus providing section comprising a plurality of actuators embedded in the wearable glove and wherein the plurality of actuators are configured to provide one or more stimuli to a user, wherein the one or more stimuli comprises a tactile stimulus, and a thermal stimulus as an external stimulus directly to the fingers of the user, and 
 a control section that controls the stimulus providing section, 
   wherein the at least one operation target comprises:
 a driving section that operates in reference to action information received, and 
 a second detection section comprising sensors configured to detect a temperature stimulus, and a tactile stimulus applied to the at least one operation target, and 
   wherein the relay apparatus is configured to:
 transmit, to the at least one operation target, the action information based on a detection result from the first detection section, and 
 in reference to a detection result from the second detection section, transmit, to the wearable glove, stimulus provision information, 
 wherein the control section of the wearable glove is configured to control the stimulus providing section to deliver a stimulus to one or more fingers of the user that matches a type of stimulus including the temperature stimulus detected by the second detection section on the operation target. 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second detection section includes a haptic sensor,   the relay apparatus transmits, to the wearable glove, the stimulus provision information based on a detection result from the haptic sensor,   the stimulus providing section includes a vibration generating section, and   the control section causes the vibration generating section to perform an action, in reference to the stimulus provision information.   
     
     
         3 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second detection section includes a temperature sensor,   the relay apparatus transmits, to the wearable glove, the stimulus provision information based on a detection result from the temperature sensor,   the stimulus providing section includes a temperature regulating section, and   the control section causes the temperature regulating section to perform an action, in reference to the stimulus provision information.   
     
     
         4 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one operation target further includes an acquisition section that acquires at least one of a set of imaging information concerning surroundings of the at least one operation target and a set of sound information concerning the surroundings of the at least one operation target, and   the relay apparatus transmits, to the wearable glove, the at least one of the sets of information acquired by the acquisition section.   
     
     
         5 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one operation target comprises a plurality of operation targets, and wherein the relay apparatus is configured to:
 determine whether or not an action of the fingers detected by the first detection section is a communication target switching action; and   select an operation target corresponding to the communication target switching action from among the plurality of operation targets, as a communication target, when relay apparatus determines the action of the fingers to be the communication target switching action, and   transmit the action information to the communication target and receives the stimulus provision information from the communication target.   
     
     
         6 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the relay apparatus configured to:
 acquire type-based information indicating a type of the at least one operation target, and   convert the action information according to the type information, and   wherein the relay apparatus transmits, to the at least one operation target, the action information converted according to the type information.   
     
     
         7 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the relay apparatus comprises:
 a proficiency-based information conversion section that converts the action information according to a level of proficiency of the user, and transmits, to the at least one operation target, the action information converted by the proficiency-based information conversion section.   
     
     
         8 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the relay apparatus comprises:
 a gesture determining section that determines whether or not the motion of the fingers detected by the first detection section is a gesture causing the at least one operation target to perform a predetermined action, and   a gesture-based information conversion section that converts the action information corresponding to the motion of the fingers into the action information causing the at least one operation target to perform the predetermined action, when the gesture determining section determines the motion of the fingers to be the gesture, and the relay apparatus transmits, to the at least one operation target, the action information converted by the gesture-based information conversion section.   
     
     
         9 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the relay apparatus comprises
 a first relay apparatus configured to transmit, receive, and communicates with the wearable glove, and   a second relay apparatus configured to transmit, receive, and communicates with the at least one operation target and with the first relay apparatus via a network.   
     
     
         10 . The communication system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first relay apparatus comprises:
 a communication status-based information conversion section that converts the action information according to a communication status between the first relay apparatus and the second relay apparatus, and   the first relay apparatus transmits, to the second relay apparatus, the action information converted by the communication status-based information conversion section.   
     
     
         11 . The communication system according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the driving section comprises a servo motor, and   the relay apparatus generates, according to the motion of the fingers detected by the first detection section, a control signal causing the servo motor to perform an action, as the action information, and transmits the control signal generated to the second relay apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one operation target is a puppet including a head section and a pair of arm sections.